It couldn't be true' a Romione AU confession
by headcanonsandmore
Summary: Ron accidentally discovers the secret that Hermione kept from him for years. How will he react when he discovers that the girl he is in love with has loved him for several years? Find out in this alternative universe confession.


' **It couldn't be possible' a Romione AU Confession**

Ron walked out onto the Quidditch Pitch, his broom held on his shoulders. In his mind's eye, he could still see Hermione's hurt face as he yelled at her 'I can save goals without help, Hermione!'.

Ron felt his heart burn with guilt - his temper had got the better of him again.

 _Well, she didn't think you were any good at it_ , said a part of his brain, _she deserved it…_

 _No, she didn't,_ said another part, speaking in Ron's voice. _She was just worried me and Harry would get in trouble…_

More as something to take his mind off Hermione rather than anything else, Ron tapped his pockets, and realised with a start that he had forgotten his keeper gloves in his hurry to leave the changing rooms.

 _I'm not going back in there_ , he thought, his stomach giving a guilty lurch. He could barely stand to remember the hurt look on Hermione's face, let alone go back and see her in person.

Ron looked around him. The grounds were still relatively full of people, but Ron knew that his height made him stick out like a sore thumb, especially to young bushy-haired witches who had known him since he was eleven…

Frowning, Ron leaned against the rear-side of one of the Quidditch stands. He realised that he couldn't be seen by people exiting the stadium, and retreated further into the long shadow that the stand created.

With a sickening pound of his heart, Ron began to hear a distinctive sobbing noise coming from the direction of the Gryffindor changing rooms. Against his own better judgement, Ron peered through a small hole in the side of the stand, and his heart seemed to fail.

Hermione was walking across the pitch in a hurried manner, her head down and her eyes streaming with tears.

Turning away in shame, Ron retreated further into the shadows.

 _Look at her cry,_ sneered the unpleasant voice in his head, _look at her blubber…_

 _Shut up_ , came the voice that sounded like Ron's _, that was horrible, what we did…that wasn't fair to her…she was only trying to help…_

Ron saw Hermione walk past his hiding spot out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes were still streaming with tears, and her face was screwed up in pain.

Ron gritted his teeth. He felt like his heart was being stabbed repeatedly with a rusty knife. He closed his eyes to try and lessen the pain, but all he could see was that same hurt look on Hermione's face.

'Ginny- did you get your gloves?'

Ron opened his eyes. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, that he had barely noticed Ginny breaking away from Dean and Demelza halfway through the grounds a few minutes ago. She had walked past him, not noticing him, and was now walking out of the stadium with Harry,

'Yeah- I picked up Ron's as well. I swear, forgetfulness seems to be a thing every Weasley has'

Straightening up, Ron rubbed his eyes (there must have been something in them, he thought, because they felt all watery). He was about to walk up and join Harry and Ginny walking up to the castle, when Ginny opened her mouth again.

'And speaking of Ron, I'd quite like to know what's happening with him and Hermione!'

'Well, they've had another argument' muttered Harry, looking downcast

'Another one?!' exclaimed Ginny 'Honestly- she's been in love with him since third year, but he's still so oblivious to it'

'I know' said Harry, their voices growing quieter as they began to make their way up to the castle 'Ron's always been like that…'

Ron could feel his legs slowly giving way as his back slid down the wall he was leaning against. Sitting on the ground, he put his head in his hands.

 _She's been in love with him since third year…_

No. That wasn't possible. That _couldn't_ be possible…

Ron could feel his throat constricting and his heart beginning to beat fast as if he had just run a hundred miles. Hermione- in love with him? He would never have believed it in his wildest dreams. There were times when he might have hoped against hope that she might have felt something for him, but he had never been sure.

And then Hermione's hurt face swam before his eyes again. Guilt began to bubble in Ron's stomach again, this time so powerful that it felt like it was consuming him from the inside out.

In something of a daze, he climbed to his feet, picked his broom off the grass, and began to make his way his way back to Gryffindor tower.

A cacophony of noise burst out of the common room as the portrait swung open. There was cheering and singing, and Ron felt several people clap him on the back and thrust food and drink into his hands. But there was only one person he wanted to see, and she was nowhere to be seen.

'Ron!' came a girl's voice, and Ron was accosted by Lavender Brown, grabbing his arm and smiling up at him with her eyes twinkling 'Well done- that was a brilliant match!'

'Er- thanks' Ron muttered, his eyes still sweeping the common-room.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Ron saw a large mane of bushy hair disappear through the portrait hole.

'Ron- what's up-?' asked Lavender, looking confused by his lack of interest

'Sorry, Lavender- gotta go'

Sidestepping Lavender, Ron pushed his way through the busy common-room (avoiding Dean and Seamus, who were juggling chocolate frogs and wanted him to join in), and climbed through the portrait hole.

The corridor outside was deserted. However, Ron could hear some movement in a nearby free classroom, and made for the door, which had been left ajar.

Hermione was sat on the teacher's desk, with a ring of small yellow birds that she had just conjured circling her head. Her face was partially hidden by her hair, but Ron could tell that her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

'Er- hi'

Hermione did not reply and Ron felt his stomach squirm with guilt again.

'Did you see the celebrations in the common-room?' Ron asked, 'Seamus and Dean were throwing chocolate frogs around and–'

'What do you want, Ron?'

Hermione's voice was icy, and her words seemed to cut at Ron like daggers. He swallowed.

'I-I'm sorry, Hermione' he stuttered, hardly daring to look her in the eye 'F-for what I said. I was being a jerk, to be honest–'

'I know perfectly well what you were, Ron' said Hermione, her voice cracking over his name 'All I ever do is be honest with you and look out for you, and you just throw it back in my face'

'I-' Ron started, but Hermione climbed down from the desk and walked slowly to the door.

Hermione reached for the door-handle, and Ron felt his mouth move, the words tumbling out. He seemed to whisper, but the impact of the words seemed to echo around the room as if he had bellowed them.

'You say you're honest with me, but you never even told me that you love me?'

The words seemed to hang in the air for a moment. It felt like the entire world had disappeared, and only the small classroom remained.

Hermione turned round to face him, and Ron saw her face for the first time since he had yelled at her in the Quidditch Changing Rooms. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and her mouth had dropped open in apparent shock. She seemed to have gone pale.

'H-how…' she stuttered, her face terrified 'H-how did you find out–?'

'I overheard Harry and Ginny' Ron mumbled 'I didn't mean to- it wasn't intentional!'

Hermione's eyes grew wider still, and she bit her lip fearfully.

'I didn't want you to find out that way'

Ron furrowed his brow 'Why?'

Hermione looked up at him, and he held her gaze

'Because there was never any hope that you felt the same way', Hermione said, smiling sadly.

Ron's heart seemed to be pumping so fast that he could hear the blood roaring in his ears. His mouth seemed to be dry, but he stepped closer to Hermione, who didn't back away.

'Isn't there?' he whispered

Hermione's eyes began to water. Ron wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to hold her, but he was terrified that she would yell at him again.

'If you're joking' Hermione cried as she wiped her eyes with her hands 'it's not funny'

Ron took another step closer to her. He reached out and brushed a tear from Hermione's cheek.

'I would never joke about that, Hermione' he breathed, his face barely an inch from hers 'Not with you. Never.'

Hermione's face began to turn red. She had stopped crying, and her eyes were fixed on Ron's face. Ron could feel his own face going red, but he didn't care.

Almost perfectly in sync, the two of them put their arms around each-other. Ron could feel Hermione's arms holding onto his back as if he was her anchor to the physical world.

'I love you, Hermione'

The words had escaped his mouth before he knew what he was saying. Hermione looked up at him in surprise; her mouth forming a smile that made Ron's heart beat even faster.

'I love you too, Ron'

Ron could feel his face burning, and his stomach exploding into a mass of butterflies.

'I'm sorry' he mumbled, cursing his awkwardness with words 'For- for everything'

Hermione smiled again.

'I know, Ron' she grinned, wiping a tear from her eye 'I'm sorry too'

'But you didn't do anything–'

Hermione gazed up at him, and his words died in his throat.

'How about we both admit to being in the wrong' she suggested 'and try to get along better in the future?'

Ron could feel his mouth widening into a huge smile.

'That sounds perfect'


End file.
